Top 100 Greatest Music Albums
by quadrophenia17 
It's very hard to pick your favorite albums, and it's even harder to put them in some consecutive order, so just consider this an incomplete list. It's also bound to change, because of new releases and other various factors. These are the albums that keep getting better the older I get, and make me want to come back for more.
But enough rambling; here's my list. Enjoy!
- Chart updated: 08/25/2018 23:45
- (Created: 10/14/2011 01:52).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
There are 87 comments for this chart from BestEverAlbums.com members and Top 100 Greatest Music Albums has an average rating of 86 out of 100 (from 132 votes). Please log in or create an account to leave a comment or assign a rating.
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"Only love can bring the rain that makes you yearn to the sky. Only love can bring the rain that falls like tears from on high"
This was every teenager’s album, including mine. Whenever I was frustrated about anything, I would lock myself in my room and listen to this album all the way through. I still do. Words can’t properly express my love for this album.
This is my favourite album of all time. The music is sublime, the lyrics perfectly capture not just what it was like being a mod in the 60s, but also trying to fit in any sort of group. The concept is a thing of beauty. This album has helped me get through a lot and I’m always finding new subtle things about it that I absolutely love. I don’t think I will ever hear an album better than this.
Perfection.
To quote Sean Penn said about this album, “A rock opera for the ages.” [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
This was every teenager’s album, including mine. Whenever I was frustrated about anything, I would lock myself in my room and listen to this album all the way through. I still do. Words can’t properly express my love for this album.
This is my favourite album of all time. The music is sublime, the lyrics perfectly capture not just what it was like being a mod in the 60s, but also trying to fit in any sort of group. The concept is a thing of beauty. This album has helped me get through a lot and I’m always finding new subtle things about it that I absolutely love. I don’t think I will ever hear an album better than this.
Perfection.
To quote Sean Penn said about this album, “A rock opera for the ages.” [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
6,839
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Available from
"Did I disappoint you or leave a bad taste in your mouth?"
Tracks: Re-arranged in order of preference (try listening to the album in this order):
One - We are all one. We work better together, we know this, yet it is pride that tears us apart.
Love Is Blindness - Do we really see what is in front of us? Or only what we want to see? Love is blindness, and we are dying to see.
Acrobat - The world is a tough place, not very fair. Where do we belong? We want to belong to something so bad, that we will act like an acrobat jumping through hoops to get noticed.
Ultraviolet (Light My Way) - We all need some uplifting from someone we love and trust. We are not so strong all of the time.
Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World - Don't worry. Everything will work out just as it is supposed to. There is no need to try and fix the world. Focus on what is right around you...be still.
So Cruel - What to do after things seem to be hopeless. Relationships and Rules. Dependence versus Independence.
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses - Moving away; rising up. Being okay with decisions made. Forgiveness and understanding.
The Fly - What we will do for love...The Good, Bad, and Ugly.
Mysterious Ways - Love; she is a mysterious creature. Things we must do to get what we think we are searching for.
Zoo Station - Ready to engage in life again. Feeling strong after a brain vacation.
Even Better Than The Real Thing - Renewed energy and strength. Feeling like never giving up on love/life.
Until The End Of The World - Life is renewed/life is good. The cycle starts over with someone you know and you try to save them from what you have gone through.
"In TV-news parlance, their attitude switched from '60 Minutes' to 'The Colbert Report'". – Pitchfork Magazine [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
Tracks: Re-arranged in order of preference (try listening to the album in this order):
One - We are all one. We work better together, we know this, yet it is pride that tears us apart.
Love Is Blindness - Do we really see what is in front of us? Or only what we want to see? Love is blindness, and we are dying to see.
Acrobat - The world is a tough place, not very fair. Where do we belong? We want to belong to something so bad, that we will act like an acrobat jumping through hoops to get noticed.
Ultraviolet (Light My Way) - We all need some uplifting from someone we love and trust. We are not so strong all of the time.
Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World - Don't worry. Everything will work out just as it is supposed to. There is no need to try and fix the world. Focus on what is right around you...be still.
So Cruel - What to do after things seem to be hopeless. Relationships and Rules. Dependence versus Independence.
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses - Moving away; rising up. Being okay with decisions made. Forgiveness and understanding.
The Fly - What we will do for love...The Good, Bad, and Ugly.
Mysterious Ways - Love; she is a mysterious creature. Things we must do to get what we think we are searching for.
Zoo Station - Ready to engage in life again. Feeling strong after a brain vacation.
Even Better Than The Real Thing - Renewed energy and strength. Feeling like never giving up on love/life.
Until The End Of The World - Life is renewed/life is good. The cycle starts over with someone you know and you try to save them from what you have gone through.
"In TV-news parlance, their attitude switched from '60 Minutes' to 'The Colbert Report'". – Pitchfork Magazine [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
Year of Release:
1991
Appears in:
Rank Score:
11,277
Rank in 1991:
Rank in 1990s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Available from
"Listen carefully to the sounds of your loneliness. Like a heartbeat drives you mad, in the stillness remember what you had and what you lost, and what you had and what you lost"
THE Ultimate Break-Up Album!
"[The songs] are romantic — tales of love and lust, love making and love breaking — infused with universal emotions that nearly everybody can relate to and understand." – Consequence of Sound
What can you say about “Rumours” that has not already been said? One of the most beautiful and yet bittersweet collection of songs ever put on record. It’s impossible to pick standout tracks because they are all equally good but different to each other. How the record shifts from Chrissy’s heartbreakingly wistful performance on “Songbird” and builds thru to Lindsey/John’s climatic finish to “The Chain” leaves your head spinning and is undoubtedly one of the finest passages of rock music ever committed to vinyl. [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
THE Ultimate Break-Up Album!
"[The songs] are romantic — tales of love and lust, love making and love breaking — infused with universal emotions that nearly everybody can relate to and understand." – Consequence of Sound
What can you say about “Rumours” that has not already been said? One of the most beautiful and yet bittersweet collection of songs ever put on record. It’s impossible to pick standout tracks because they are all equally good but different to each other. How the record shifts from Chrissy’s heartbreakingly wistful performance on “Songbird” and builds thru to Lindsey/John’s climatic finish to “The Chain” leaves your head spinning and is undoubtedly one of the finest passages of rock music ever committed to vinyl. [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
Year of Release:
1977
Appears in:
Rank Score:
29,083
Rank in 1977:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Available from
"Sometimes I wish I had never been born at all"
"What sets Queen apart is their selection of unlikely effects: acoustic piano, harp, acapella vocals, no synthesizers, coupled with good songs." – Rolling Stone Magazine
For me, I prefer Queen's earlier work, and this is the pinnacle of their style. [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
"What sets Queen apart is their selection of unlikely effects: acoustic piano, harp, acapella vocals, no synthesizers, coupled with good songs." – Rolling Stone Magazine
For me, I prefer Queen's earlier work, and this is the pinnacle of their style. [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
Year of Release:
1975
Appears in:
Rank Score:
11,347
Rank in 1975:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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"Wendy, let me in, I wanna be your friend. I wanna guard your dreams and visions"
"Born to Run is, however, Bruce Springsteen’s most Bruce Springsteen album -- the one that exemplifies the go-for-broke barrage of guitar, piano, sax, and glockenspiel that most people associate with the Boss." – Billboard Magazine
Literally one of the greatest albums of all time, my favorite by Springsteen. Each song offers something different while conveying a similar tale of desperation. An amazing listen from beginning to end. This is the ultimate album for high school graduates hoping to leave their small hometowns and find their destiny. [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
"Born to Run is, however, Bruce Springsteen’s most Bruce Springsteen album -- the one that exemplifies the go-for-broke barrage of guitar, piano, sax, and glockenspiel that most people associate with the Boss." – Billboard Magazine
Literally one of the greatest albums of all time, my favorite by Springsteen. Each song offers something different while conveying a similar tale of desperation. An amazing listen from beginning to end. This is the ultimate album for high school graduates hoping to leave their small hometowns and find their destiny. [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
Year of Release:
1975
Appears in:
Rank Score:
14,236
Rank in 1975:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
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"Hey man, I gotta straighten my face. This mellow thighed chick just put my spine out of place"
"the tunes on The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, somewhat loosely held together by the concept of the Earthbound exploits of the interplanetary rock star, strangely avoid the trap of being so much dated, post-hippie nonsense." – Slant Magazine
It is true; this album sounds just as good today as it did 45 years ago. When someone asks me to sum up David Bowie's career in one album, this is it. [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
"the tunes on The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars, somewhat loosely held together by the concept of the Earthbound exploits of the interplanetary rock star, strangely avoid the trap of being so much dated, post-hippie nonsense." – Slant Magazine
It is true; this album sounds just as good today as it did 45 years ago. When someone asks me to sum up David Bowie's career in one album, this is it. [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
Year of Release:
1972
Appears in:
Rank Score:
40,388
Rank in 1972:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Available from
"You've been coolin', baby I've been droolin'"
Led Zeppelin II was the first Zeppelin album I ever owned, and it changed my perception of what music could be. This was the moment for me that made me into a Led Zeppelin fan.
Listening to "Whole Lotta Love," was like going through a wind-tunnel, while songs like "Heartbreaker" and "What Is And What Should Never Be" were like Jimmy Page making guitar riffs sound erotic and tantalizing. I can listen to "What Is And What Should Never Be", and imagine a woman strip-teasing to the song; it's that sexy!
I call this the "sexy" album cause each song provides something erotic and lovely: from raw guitar riffs in the first three songs, to sensitivity in "Thank You", it's the Led Zeppelin album I feel they had the most fun with. [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
Led Zeppelin II was the first Zeppelin album I ever owned, and it changed my perception of what music could be. This was the moment for me that made me into a Led Zeppelin fan.
Listening to "Whole Lotta Love," was like going through a wind-tunnel, while songs like "Heartbreaker" and "What Is And What Should Never Be" were like Jimmy Page making guitar riffs sound erotic and tantalizing. I can listen to "What Is And What Should Never Be", and imagine a woman strip-teasing to the song; it's that sexy!
I call this the "sexy" album cause each song provides something erotic and lovely: from raw guitar riffs in the first three songs, to sensitivity in "Thank You", it's the Led Zeppelin album I feel they had the most fun with. [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
Year of Release:
1969
Appears in:
Rank Score:
20,040
Rank in 1969:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Available from
"I used to roll the dice; Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes. Listen as the crowd would sing: 'Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!'"
'Viva' offers a more believable fix to the current Coldplay dilemma, i.e., how does a pop band with artful aspirations please everyone while satisfying themselves at the same time?" – Pitchfork.com
What I love about this album is the mixture of all type of songs, but still having that Coldplay feel to them. It can be fast-paced (i.e. 'Viva La Vida', 'Lost!') or it slow like 'Yes'. However, I also like that it wasn't like the first 3 albums; they decided to head in a different direction and it paid off. [First added to this chart: 08/15/2012]
'Viva' offers a more believable fix to the current Coldplay dilemma, i.e., how does a pop band with artful aspirations please everyone while satisfying themselves at the same time?" – Pitchfork.com
What I love about this album is the mixture of all type of songs, but still having that Coldplay feel to them. It can be fast-paced (i.e. 'Viva La Vida', 'Lost!') or it slow like 'Yes'. However, I also like that it wasn't like the first 3 albums; they decided to head in a different direction and it paid off. [First added to this chart: 08/15/2012]
Year of Release:
2008
Appears in:
Rank Score:
4,821
Rank in 2008:
Rank in 2000s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Available from
"There are places I remember all my life, though some have changed. Some forever, not for better, some have gone and some remain".
"[This is] the album where the Beatles became the Beatles...Rubber Soul was the album where the moptops grew up." – Rolling Stone Magazine
Growing up, it was hard for me personally to decide what my favorite Beatles album was. However, I decided with 'Rubber Soul' because it was the bridge in their careers: while lyrically it sounded like their earlier work, the listener can differentiate that it musically they were heading in a different direction. It's a great mix of both styles that I greatly appreciate more and more as I grow older. [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
"[This is] the album where the Beatles became the Beatles...Rubber Soul was the album where the moptops grew up." – Rolling Stone Magazine
Growing up, it was hard for me personally to decide what my favorite Beatles album was. However, I decided with 'Rubber Soul' because it was the bridge in their careers: while lyrically it sounded like their earlier work, the listener can differentiate that it musically they were heading in a different direction. It's a great mix of both styles that I greatly appreciate more and more as I grow older. [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
Year of Release:
1965
Appears in:
Rank Score:
24,859
Rank in 1965:
Rank in 1960s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Available from
"Then one day you find, ten years have got behind you. No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun"
"It’s as if the band were beginning to stimulate and capture the imagination through their music as well as evolving into something versatile and truly revolutionary...Dark Side Of The Moon will remain as a timeless classic because of how innovative and unique it was for its time." – Rockhaq Reviews
Believe it or not, it took me a long time to get into Pink Floyd. Though I did like some of their songs, overall I couldn't listen to them for more than 20 minutes because they were too avant-garde for me. It wasn't until I put this record on for studying that I started to enjoy their music. I enjoy listening to this album because one song flows so well with the other; moreover, I still listen to this whenever I need time for myself or I need some time to be quiet and focus on a project. [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
"It’s as if the band were beginning to stimulate and capture the imagination through their music as well as evolving into something versatile and truly revolutionary...Dark Side Of The Moon will remain as a timeless classic because of how innovative and unique it was for its time." – Rockhaq Reviews
Believe it or not, it took me a long time to get into Pink Floyd. Though I did like some of their songs, overall I couldn't listen to them for more than 20 minutes because they were too avant-garde for me. It wasn't until I put this record on for studying that I started to enjoy their music. I enjoy listening to this album because one song flows so well with the other; moreover, I still listen to this whenever I need time for myself or I need some time to be quiet and focus on a project. [First added to this chart: 10/13/2011]
Year of Release:
1973
Appears in:
Rank Score:
55,814
Rank in 1973:
Rank in 1970s:
Overall Rank:
Average Rating:
Comments:
Total albums: 100. Page 1 of 10
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition
| Decade | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1940s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1950s | 0 | 0% | |
| 1960s | 18 | 18% | |
| 1970s | 38 | 38% | |
| 1980s | 17 | 17% | |
| 1990s | 7 | 7% | |
| 2000s | 7 | 7% | |
| 2010s | 13 | 13% | |
| 2020s | 0 | 0% |
| Artist | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
| The Beatles | 9 | 9% | |
| U2 | 7 | 7% | |
| David Bowie | 6 | 6% | |
| Led Zeppelin | 6 | 6% | |
| The Who | 5 | 5% | |
| Bruce Springsteen | 4 | 4% | |
| Pink Floyd | 3 | 3% | |
| Show all | |||
| Country | Albums | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|||
 |
50 | 50% | |
| |
34 | 34% | |
 |
7 | 7% | |
 |
3 | 3% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
2 | 2% | |
 |
1 | 1% | |
| Show all | |||
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
| Biggest fallers |
|---|
Down 1 from 85th to 86th |
Down 1 from 86th to 87th |
Down 1 from 87th to 88th |
| New entries |
|---|
| Leavers |
|---|
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings
Average Rating = (n ÷ (n + m)) × av + (m ÷ (n + m)) × AVwhere:
av = trimmed mean average rating an item has currently received.
n = number of ratings an item has currently received.
m = minimum number of ratings required for an item to appear in a 'top-rated' chart (currently 10).
AV = the site mean average rating.
Showing latest 3 ratings for this chart. | Show all 132 ratings for this chart.
| Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ! | 03/21/2025 10:40 |  SomethingSpecial | 1,090 | 86/100 |
| ! | 08/01/2020 08:20 | Bungalowracoon | 9 | 92/100 |
| ! | 07/11/2019 17:36 | manurock | 228 | 83/100 |
Rating metrics:
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This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 86.3/100, a mean average of 85.0/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 86.4/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 13.7.
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From 
BestEverAlbums 07/11/2019 08:00 in Chart of the day (#2818): By quadrophenia17
BestEverAlbums 07/11/2019 08:00 in Chart of the day (#2818): By quadrophenia17“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by quadrophenia17 () 1. Quadrophenia by The Who (1973) 2. Achtung Baby by U2 (1991) 3. Rumours by Fleetwood Mac (1977) 4. A Night At The Opera by Queen (1975) 5. Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen (1975) 6. The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And…”
View forum post →From BestEverAlbums 05/03/2018 08:00 in Chart of the day (#2384): By quadrophenia17
BestEverAlbums 05/03/2018 08:00 in Chart of the day (#2384): By quadrophenia17“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by quadrophenia17 () 1. Quadrophenia by The Who (1973) 2. Achtung Baby by U2 (1991) 3. Rumours by Fleetwood Mac (1977) 4. A Night At The Opera by Queen (1975) 5. Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen (1975) 6. The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And…”
View forum post →From BestEverAlbums 10/20/2017 08:00 in Chart of the day (#2189): By quadrophenia17
BestEverAlbums 10/20/2017 08:00 in Chart of the day (#2189): By quadrophenia17“Today's chart of the day Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by quadrophenia17 () 1. Quadrophenia by The Who (1973) 2. Achtung Baby by U2 (1991) 3. Rumours by Fleetwood Mac (1977) 4. A Night At The Opera by Queen (1975) 5. Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen (1975) 6. The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And…”
View forum post →Top 100 Greatest Music Albums comments
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From
panman36 06/19/2014 10:26 | #114778
Since I expanded my chart, yours appears under charts that are most similar to mine. But for so much in common you have a surprsing amount of stuff I just don't care for. And all our shared picks, seems to be stuff that pretty much everyone has. Not really kindred spirits I feel
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 2
From
Johnnyo TOP 100 COMMENTER 11/20/2011 10:41 | #30899
Far too much Beatles. Even with that, this is an awesome chart jusdt wish there were maybe 5, rather than 10 Beatles albums 'cos I'm sure that your other 5 albums woud be great.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 2
From
40footwolf 10/24/2011 05:35 | #29019
40footwolf 10/24/2011 05:35 | #29019
Props for Quadrophenia and Nebraska but it's a bit...predictable. Broadening your tastes outside of the established rock canon could be extremely beneficial to you as a listener.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 2
From
Gooz 04/30/2014 13:21 | #110411
Gooz 04/30/2014 13:21 | #110411
Talking about taste I always had a feeling that U2 and coldplay walks with hands Attached. Your chart comes to reaffirm to me.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 2
From
louisjwyatt TOP 100 COMMENTER 04/30/2014 15:56 | #110417
louisjwyatt TOP 100 COMMENTER 04/30/2014 15:56 | #110417
Lots of great albums but very predictable. Just looks like a Rolling Stone list. Try listening to new things.
Helpful? (Log in to vote) · 2
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